Sealing and self-draining means for pipe couplers



May 4, 1954 G. CORNELIUS 2,677,560

SEALING AND SELF-DRAINING MEANS FOR PIPE COUPLERS Filed March 25, 1950INVENTOR. GA /L OORNEL IUS lgzfiblo gy ATTORNEY Patented May 4, 1954 ANDSELF-DRAININ G-MEAN S FDR PIPE COUPLER-S Qregons piimi Mm-chza, 1950,Serial No. 151,930

tioneee e d d t in ns meei t suee fi -een iiunet on w th ieeup n b .,.m.e, Q W eh lensthe of p p ar .eenn e ed teeei iln eeti lirri etien pe isemet me moved in 1Qn sect en ...ceneie.tin e .eev te eeeeet pipe vlengh nd a th teeeti le fien .tete hl ngired feet or p more it is cp stonary to ernplpy etrae o which e te th eeeT Ii f fPiR eve the f eld ;fromone location to en oth er. It is nec ss ry tha oupli hi .eee ee h ndiveue l n t s e fpin ine ed s m eee nemeem de n to .With en e cee l fremwithi end-i is eleesi it b ethe eeeh en t 9 pip rea h onplinscbetwee slen h efei b p ovided Wi mean t eif eietemeti twil n o hewete ro he. piewhen th ip ie il flier- .Withi i redu e The r uir men o t ese tieetl r,ieleee e preciated from an understanding oi a typ icel nse i eens len tireet me hw eef it t on sy tem- ..Fer tele' el ne lmen m ermme np p c ini .fiiepeee e neen h k eeer one-f el t nn irtie p e eeeee e ey et ietheee eeeti n .e .e breeeh 1 se e t ext n eelteeethe ei tew rd t eep eei. lar Th bre ch i ee r eee ink e ou le s and itieeemieete n af er .eetle wit th lepeee .eutlet d th pm in in e t l fit entir fiel .wii ..brr eiei Th twee th i "moved fro one eetlett t ne b Yet H .ofiiit e iel hwat an then r g n it in see en n ieuite l th t P it e fe eerinection tothe nextoutiet. As the weight ofthe wet the lin i nee e i m vemen en ast line oiten lies upon nneven enrolling terrain, it is desirable to gilein the line at each coupling immed tely u e th feil r p r res t n fpoxnits being yelved on in preparation for moving. system of draining iselsosuperiorto end draining because the disoherge of a large volumeofwateretany single point is detrimental to certain types of cropsendproduces a mud dy spot undesirable in cultivated fields.

-i-The ,present application is concerned with a combination seal, and,drain meens employed in aipipe couplingand the seal. and drain means aredisclosed hereinin. conjunction with a specific type ofpipeoouplingdisclosedcandflclaimed in my boo-pending sepplicetion entitledfClouplin Means fori-lrxigatiortyipe," filed March 25,1950.

2 r a N 1 7 .neW-Peeei l5 208 i ue bruar .3 125 h ee en e he i eiee eeehewev Vi 1e. ,T w h t ert eul e e' l-eei and t adaptability to o th' ei'types vof couplings 'jiiiillfkle apparent fron an l nqei stan cling ofthifoll'ow iil specification. ltis the opject of thepresentinventiontoprovifi eeee ie' end. self-d betwee e pi $911 34.: K. it t ie m efiu d'to t. .v new th i e l et ene er e' le i i i lmsen te le fe 'ii e i011eer i Witter to drain from thepipe' when press'iiieis fled ce d l flhenenner in which this object is accomplisheci and ini th ei m re specifioobj cts n e vente e e t nve w ee iperent inthe following spefoificetionby reference t th e eem en m .qif ie jln h dr in Eig l iis ayiempne-helf in side elevation and one-half incent gel ye ticall setion,of al'p'ipe colipling including 'a selfcir'ztiiiing seal whichfeinbodies the present inventionend' illustrated with the ends of twolengths of pipe in plac'on' the c upl ng, 7, l, t

Fig. 2 is e ff egnientery perspective View showing the se ne pipe conplingwith the pipe ends and eeit-ein, u l i mpe ie$5 1 Fig. 3 is an enleyged fi agmentar y section through the sea-1 es illustratedinj'F'igl'l', and q Fig. fl is a seetion t l on 'jth'e 'line IV- IV ofFig t .i c, A

;The conplingherein illpstreted comprises a main coupling mernber}generally indioelteii et 0, of substantially cylind 'ioel shape.Theceiitral portion of the, cqiiplging meniber i's'fslightly enlarged,as inolic ated at [i Lend has 2, Ijo'ss' 12 formed thel'eenwhichispetiqrafi dend thieeded for receptioniof en eiitei ioriy threaded pipe13. This stend pipe serves to support" end direct water to a sp k lelfhead, not shqwhgand serves elso in sseinblyfof theeoiiplin'g'es willpresentlyeppeer'. 'The ends Hl nd of two lengthsioi pipe to be connectedby the coupling aieshown in assembled relationship therewith in Fig. 1.Ihe pipe ends slip over the tubulei" ends of the coupling and areprovided with perforations ifiiegistering with depressions H, see Fig.2, when the pipe is in place on the coupling. A yoke member! 8 fits overthe stand pipe and has two saddle-like parts l9 overlying the ends ofthe .pipe i when itois' assemble'dlwith. the

coupling. A peirv ofnstuds-iw is formedhon each of the saddlepertstifiuend, thesev SilldSDlfQjQCt 3 through the holes It in the pipeand into the depressions IT in the coupling to prevent separation of thepipe and coupling. A lock nut 2[ is threaded on the stand pipe [3 andmay be turned down against the top of the yoke IS to complete theassembly and securely hold all of the parts in their assembledpositions.

The sealing and self-draining means of the present invention comprises agasket 22 fitted in a slot 23 which completely circumscribes the coupleradjacent its cylindrical end over which the pipe end is fitted, therebeing an identical gasket and slot in each end of the coupler.Separation of the coupler because of the circumscribing slot isprevented by bridges 24 shown as three in number and disposed interiorlyof the end of the coupler in positions to span the slot.

The slot 23 is formed with a shoulder 25 facing inwardly of the couplerand the gasket which is resilient has a lip 26 sumciently thin incrosssection to be forced outwardly into sealing contact with theshoulder 25. The main portion of the gasket has an outer cylindricalsurface, shown at 2? in Fig. 3, adapted to be pressed into sealingcontact with the inner surface of the pipe l5.

The gasket is slightly narrower than the width of the slot 23 and has anirregular edge formed by spaced projections 28 to engage thecorresponding edge of the slot and provide intermediate openings 2%.position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, the introduction of pressure intothe pipe line expands it outwardly forming a seal against the shoulder25 and a seal against the interior of the pipe [5.

Thus, as long as pressure is maintained in the pipe line, water isdelivered under full pressure through the stand pipe i3 and to thesprinkler head. However, when the pressure is reduced by valving off theline, the gasket contracts due to its resiliency and the water flowsfreely through the spaces 29 around the gasket and then outwardlybetween the end of the pipe and the outer suriace of the coupler. Toinsure free fiow of the water between the pipe and coupler while at thesame time maintaining a snug fit between these parts, the couplerbetween the gasket and the end of the pipe is of slightly reduceddiameter but formed with raised pads, such as indicated at and ti. Theseform a rigid support for the inner wall of the pipe and provide intermediate passages for the escape of water. These pads may be of variousshapes and arrangements but are herein illustrated as a combination ofelongated bar-like members and interspaced discs.

Because of the reception of the gasket 22 in a slot which completelycircumscribes the cylindrical portion of the coupler, it is completelyprotected in its contracted position against damage by the end of thepipe as it is slipped into place on the coupler. Also because of thispositioning of the gasket, it expands readily into sealing contact withthe interior of the coupler and the pipe and contracts immediately topermit the escape of water when the pressure is cut off. With theconstruction illustrated, an operator may close the valve which controlspressure between the main line and branch line and in a few seconds allof the water has been drained from the branch line in small quantitiesat each of the couplings therealong. Consequently there is no cause fordelay in this proceeding to detach the branch line from the main lineand couple it to a tractor for movement to its new location.

With the gasket in the assembled It;

I claim:

1. A seal between a tubular fitting and a pipe which surrounds itcomprising an annular gasket, said fitting having a circumscribing slotto receive the gasket spaced from one end and completely severing itswall, integral means inside the fitting bridging said slot to preventseparation of the severed parts, and a flange on the edge of the gasketfarther from said end of the fitting to lie adjacent the inner surfaceof the fitting and to be urged thereagainst by pressure from withinwhich pressure also urges the main portion of the gasket outwardlyagainst the inside of the pipe.

2. A seal between a tubular fitting and a pipe which surrounds itcomprising an annular gasket, said fitting having a circumscribing slotto receive the gasket spaced from one end and completely severing itswall, integral means inside the fitting bridging said slot to preventseparation of the severed parts, and a flange on the edge of the gasketfarther from said end of the fitting to lie adjacent the inner surfaceof the fitting and to be urged thereagainst by pressure from withinwhich pressure also urges the main portion of the gasket outwardlyagainst the inside of the pipe, said fitting having a recessed shoulderon its inner surface for reception of said flange on the gasket.

3. seal between a tubular fitting and a pipe which surrounds itcomprising an annular gasket, said fitting having a circumscribing slotto receive the gasket spaced from one end and completely severing itswall, integral means inside the fitting bridging said slot to preventseparation of the severed parts, and a flange on the edge of the gasketfarther from said end of the fitting to lie adjacent the inner surfaceof the fitting and to be urged thereagainst by pressure from withinwhich pressure also urges the main portion of the gasket outwardlyagainst the inside of the pipe, said fitting having a recessed shoulderon its inner surface for reception of said flange on the gasket, saidintegral means in the fitting also bridging said shoulder.

4. A seal between a tubular fitting and a pipe which surrounds itcomprising an annular gasket, said fitting having a circumscribing slotto receive the gasket spaced from one end and completely severing itsWall, integral means inside the fitting bridging said slot to preventseparation of the severed parts, and a flange on the edge of the gasketfarther from said end of the fitting to lie adjacent the inner surfaceof the fitting and to be urged thereagainst by pressure from withinwhich pressure also urges the main portion of the gasket outwardlyagainst the inside of the pipe, said main portion of the gasket being ofsubstantially the same diameter as the fitting.

5. A seal between a tubular fitting and a pipe which surrounds itcomprising an annular gasket, said fitting having a circumscribing slotto receive the gasket spaced from one end and completely severing itswall, integral means inside the fitting bridging said slot to preventseparation of the severed parts, and a flange on the edge of the gasketfarther from said end of the fitting to lie adjacent the inner surfaceof the fitting and to be urged there against by pressure from withinwhich pressure also urges the main portion of the gasket outwardlyagainst the inside of the pipe, said main portion of the gasket being ofsubstantially the same diameter as the fitting but slightly narrowerthan the slot and having spaced projections on the edge opposite theflange to insure drainage space between the fitting and gasket when thepressure of fluid is too low to cause a seal.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date Lightburne Mar. 28, 1882 Pierce Sept, 14, 1915 Andreolli Dec.19, 1916 Pence May 29, 1928 Karrer June 1, 1937 Number 10 Number NameDate Chapin Mar. 29, 1949 Anderson Jan. 17, 1950 Montgomery June 6, 1950Gratzmuller June 20, 1950 De Moude et a1 Aug. 1, 1950 Cornelius Feb. 13,1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Apr. 16, 1934

